Jerry Smeih is a family owned farm that offers a wide variety of fresh, local fruits and vegetables, poultry, and livestock. Apart from the traditional agricultural and animal products, such as free-range chicken and Sidr honey, the farm offers more unusual for the region products like delicious French ducks.
Jerry Smeih believes it is important for the retail customers, chefs and food service providers to know the values and expertise of those to whom they entrust to provide food for their family, friends and customers. Its values go back to the 1950s when it was established – it makes Jerry Smeih one of the oldest family farms in Qatar.
Not long ago, Qatar was a strip of desert inhabited by proud and resourceful nomadic Bedouin tribes, fishing villages and livestock farms. It is back then a migrant from Palestine, Abo Abdul Safadi, settled in the Smeih valley and started planting crops and raising livestock. Behind its name is the name of the valley where it is located and, at the same time, that of a camel – “Jerry Smeih” represents the past, present and future of the land – a continuous cycle of life.
hydroponic farming in Qatar
The farm is also well known for introducing hydroponic farming in Qatar, which involves growing plants without soil. Instead of nutrients in the soil, plants thrive on a nutrient solution which contains the minerals that the plants need. It is also an easy and environmentally sound way to grow a wide variety of healthy plants. Some of the benefits of hydroponics system are being able to grow produce all year round in a controlled environment leading to better quality produce and higher yields, improved flavor and texture. Currently, Jerry Smeih grows tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet melons using this method.
Jerry Smeih business is a farm in evolution – one that is moving towards modern farming practices and increasing scalability to meet local market needs. The farm relies on sustainable use of groundwater and recycles water to lead agricultural production in protected green houses that promote non-depletion and preservation of the environment.